NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday announced a new national anthem policy for teams and players. Notably, the new policy removes the existing requirement that players be on the field during the playing of the national anthem. At the same time, the policy adds a requirement that players who are on the field must stand. The policy also authorizes the NFL to fine teams whose players violate this policy. Further, the policy empowers each team to adopt its own workplace rules consistent with the spirit of the league’s policy.
In other words, while the NFL will continue to not directly punish players who kneel, the league could punish the teams who employ those players.